Chapter 15 - Agricultural Lessons

Abstract

In 2015, agriculture was responsible for 49.1 Mt CO2e or ~34% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom. Within the agriculture sector, the greatest contributors were CH4 from enteric fermentation by ruminants (particularly cattle) and their manure and nitrogen fertilisers. Nitrogen fertilisers are highly beneficial to agricultural enterprises in terms of crop responsiveness, though the production of such fertilisers involves a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Ley farming is capable of more or less mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the conversion of land to cropland. However, the planting of those leys is motivated by the desire to provide pastures for cattle raising. Switching from ruminant livestock production to energy crop production on suitable grassland could achieve the double win situation of reduced emissions from animals and of fossil carbon substitution in the energy sector. Forestry is also a viable option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can provide wood in reduced forms for energy production.